Group 2: “Sharing tacit knowledge” — Paul’s responses

Hello all, firstly I want to say thanks for getting involved with our communications, advocacy and visibility efforts. It is really appreciated.

Now, I will try answering some of your questions.

* Who would be potential users for this type of interface (e.g. different professions, locals)? There is such a vast humanitarian community nowadays who are web-based so there would be many potential users, from NGOs and other international bodies, such as MSF and ICRC, to UN agencies like UNICEF and WFP and our own field staff at country level and throughout the WHO regional hubs and HQ. Other professions who could use it (and this would link in with our World Health Day theme, could include architects, builders, hospital groups in both private and public sectors).

* What kind of stories would people like to tell? The main types of stories involve the health of people, the risks they face from different emergencies, the needs they have and how these needs are being met. As WHO’s humanitarian response arm, HAC tries to respond to the health needs linked to emergencies through a range of means, such as delivering medicines, deploying staff for assessments, and providing technical guidance on response to health threats. There are the human stories of those who are in need, as well as the stories of those who try to meet these needs.

* What type of information is needed by the field workers? What different types of information/knowledge categories there might be? Field workers need information on the latest threats and burdens in terms of numbers of people affected and what they are affected by, where are the gaps in service delivery, where are the major locations of health risk and who is at risk. Then, to help with coordination among other partners to provide optimal services and not waste resources, field workers would like to know what the other health-related providers are actually providing.

* What are the guidelines/protocol and tools that are currently used by field workers when leaving to or returning from the field? HAC has a set of Standard Operating Procedures that we would like more of our field staff to know about. These SOPs lay out guidelines for our major areas of need and intervention.